Staple extractor



Feb.

J. F. CAV

STAPLE EXTRACT Filed Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES-PATENT oFncE1,948,098 I STAPLE EXTBACTOB John F. Cavanagh, Providence, R. 1.,assignor to Boston Wire Stitcher Company, Portland, Maine, a.corporation of Maine Application December 18. 1931 Serial No. 581,818

9 Claims. (01. 254-28) '15 Another object of the invention is to providea device of the type specified having means for insertion under the headof the staple to press against the work and other means movablerelatively thereof to withdraw the staple without 22 crinkling orbuckling the paper or other work.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the typespecified which is operative to withdraw or extract the staple bycausing its clinched legs to be straightened without tearing ormultilating the paper or other articles held by the staple.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the typespecifled'which is operative to extract or withdraw the staple withoutbuckto ling or bending its head or crossbar so as to prevent tearing thepaper or other articles held together by the staple.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a 85 preferred form of construction of thedevice, by

way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing. In thedrawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the present improved staple-extractingdevice;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the jaws of the device showing-aportion of the insertion beak or blade in section and illustrating theparts in position at the completion of the withdrawal of the staple;Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the device looking toward the jaws;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the jaw end of the device;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the relation, of the parts ofthe device in the first operationoi extracting the staple; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in position as the staple isbeing withdrawn from the work. I 56 As before indicated, my invention isprefer- One object of the invention is to provide a.

ably embodied in a device taking the form '0: a

,pair of pliers having pivoted laws which are moved relatively of eachother under manual pressure on their handles. One jaw of the implementis provided with a beak-like blade adapted for insertion under the heador crossbar of the staple and the other jaw carries hook-likeprojections normally seated in recesses in the blade and adapted to belifted with respect there- I to to pry the staple upwardly as the bladeis pressed down against the work.

To render the 'device light in weight and economical to manufacture itsparts are preferably constructed of sheet-metal struck up in dies andshaped to the form as hereinafter'describecl. The

main'operating members 2 and 3 of the pliers are of conventional shape,being of channel form with curved handles 4 and 5 which are preferablyknurled on their rounded exterior surfaces to provide a securehand-hold. One member 2 is cut away at 6 and arranged with the' othermember 3 passing through the opening and pivoted to its sides by meansof a stud or rivet 7. A wire spring 10 is coiled around the pivot-studor rivet 7 with its opposite legs 11 arranged in the hollow portions ofthe handles a and 6, whereby the tension of the spring tends to spreadthe handles apart to open the jaws of the pliers.

The jaws 12 and 13 of the members 2 and 3 of the pliers are of similarchannel-like-construction having opposite side walls with relativelyflat bottom plates 14 and 15 arranged in opposite relationship andcarrying the two operating elements of the staple-extracting means to benext described. I

Riveted to the underside of the bottom plate 14 of the jaw 12 at 16 is aflat plate 1'! which proiects forwardly therefrom and is then bentdownwardly at right-angles in the vertical portion 18. The verticalportion 18 of the plate 14 is bent at right-angles to extend forwardlyin a beaklike blade 20 which terminates in a rounded point 21 beveledoff on its upper side in the manner of a knife blade to provide for itsconvenientinsertion beneath the head or crossbar of the staple to beextracted. Preferably, the blade 20 is formed on its lateral edges withabutments or shoulders 22 which are adapted to engage the sides or legs1 ,of the staple to serve as stops for the blade as it is insertedbeneath the head of the staple. The

blade 20 is provided with opposite parallel slots or openings 24 and theupright portion 18 of the plate 17 is also provided with two similar,parallel slots 25.

Fastened to the lower Jaw 13 of the pliers is a member 30 whichconstitutes the prying means for withdrawing the staple'from the work.The member 30 is preferably of inverted trough-shape and arranged tooverlie the jaw 13 with its portion 31 riveted thereto at 32. At itsforward end the sides of the member 30 are bent inwardly, as shown inFig.1 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and then extendedforwardly in the fingers 33 which project through the slots 25 in thevertical portion 18 of the beak-member or plate 17.

The fingers 33 are extended downwardly and notched at their edges toprovide forwardly-projecting hook-like prongs 34 which normally seat inthe openings 24 in the blade or beak 20, see Figs. 1 and 5. In thisposition the prongs 34 are adapted to be inserted beneath the head ofthe staple as 'the blade or beak 20 is slid thereunder in the manner aslater more fully set forth. The method of operation of the device is asnext explained.

Wire. staples and similar fasteners are used .very generally forattaching papers and documents and also for many other purposes such asattaching tags and labels to articles of commerce, tacking sheets ofpaper to drawing-boards, fastening curtainsto rollers, matting and thelike to floors and in sundry other uses too numerous to mention. In somecases the staples are used as a permanent fastening means, but in otherinstances their use is temporary when it is desired to detach the papersor other articles. Various expedients have been tried for applying thestaples to the work in such manner that they may be easily andconveniently removed, but in most'cases such methods of clinching thestaples result in an insecure fastening of the parts; and where thestaples are clinched in the usual manner it has been well nighimpossible to remove theniit from the work without tearing or mutilat-With the present improved implement staples clinched in the'nsual waymay be withdrawn from the work conveniently and expeditiously withoutdanger of tearing the papers or otherwise mutilating the articlesfastened thereby. In operating the improved device the handles of thepliers are grasped in the hand in the usual manner with the jaws innormally open position as shown in Fig. 1. The spring 10 holds the jawsslightly apart with the fingers 33 on the jaw 13 enga ing the bottom ofthe slots 25 in the portion 18 of the plate member 17 on the other jaw.-With the jaws in .this relationship the prongs 34 are de-'' presse'dwithin the slots or openings 24 of the blade 20. Holding the work withone hand, the operator simply inserts the sharpened point of the blade20 beneath the crossbar b of the staple .9, see Fig. 4, and slides itforwardly until the lateral shoulders 22 bring up against the legs ofthe staple. With the parts of the device in this-position the hook-likeprongs 34 will be located beneath the crossbar b of the staple s atpoints adjacent the ends thereof and it is then only necessary to forcethe handles 4 and 5 toward each other to withdraw the staple in themanner as next explained. l

As pressure is exerted on the handles of the pliers its opposite jaws 12and 13 will be drawn together with the fingers 33 sliding upwardly inthe slots 25 of the vertical portion 18 of the plate 17. During thisoperation the blade 20 is pressed down against the top of the work andthe prongs 34 will be raised away therefrom to pry the staple up throughthe work in the manner indicated in Fig. 6.. The notches or openingsabove the prongs 34 on the fingers 33 engage the head of the stapleclosely, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that one end thereof cannot'rise inadvance of the other and thus the staple is prevented from bending orbuckling during its withdrawal. As the staple is withdrawn in thismanner its legs are bent back and straightened, due to the pressure ofthe blade 20 against the work, and at the same time the sheets of paperor other articles are held from buckling or bending. Stated another way,the clinched legs of the staple are forced apart ,through theirengagement with the lateral edges of the blade 20 and'thus they arestraightened without tending to tear or mutilate the paper sheets orother articles through which the staple is withdrawn. As has beendemonstrated in practice, the legs of the staple will be straightenedand withdrawn through the work without tearing or even enlarging theholes through which the legs have been clinched. The device thusprovides a most convenient and efficient appliance for extractingstaples and similar fastening means where it is required to detach thearticles held together or fastened thereby.

It is to be observed that the present device is extremely simple inconstruction and inexpensive to manufacture, besides being light inweight and of small compass to render it adaptable for-carrying in thepocket. Moreover, the appliance is practically proof against derangementor getting out of order and is durable in use over long periods of time.

While the invention is herein shown and described as embodied in apreferred form of construction, it is to be understood that variousmodifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts ofthe device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect,'I claim:

1. A plier device having movable jaws, a member on one jaw projectingdownwardly across the end of the opposite jaw and terminating in aforwardly projecting blade, said downwardly projecting portion of saidmember formed with a slotted opening, and a finger on the opposite jawprojecting through said opening in the first member and formed with 2.prong conforming to the plane of the blade.

2. A plier device having movable jaws, a member projecting from one ofthe jaws downwardly across the end of the opposite jaw and terminatingin a forwardly projecting tapered blade having openings therein, and amember on the opposite jaw having fingers projecting forwardly withhooked prongs at their ends adapted to seat in the openings in theblade.

3. In a plier device, the combination of a pair of pivoted jaws,.amember extending downwardly from one of the jaws across the end of theopposite jaw and terminating in a forwardly projecting tapered blade,said downwardly projecting portion of the member and said blade formedwith slotted openings, and a member carried by the opposite jaw andprovided with fingers projecting forwardly through the openings in thedownwardly extending portion of the first member and terminating inhooked prongs normally seated in the openings in the blade. 4. In adevice for extracting staples and the like from articles fastenedthereby, the combinabeing movable away from the blade when they handlesare pressed together to withdraw the staple while the work in held bythe blade.

I 5. In a plier device for extracting staples and the like from articlesfastened thereby, the combination of a pair of pivoted members havinghandles, a blade carried by one of the members on the opposite side ofthe pivot from its handle for insertion under the head of a staple, alitter element carried by the other member on the opposite side of thepivot from its handle, said lifter member arranged to move intoalinement with the blade when the handles are in open position to adaptit to bear against the work whereby it may be inserted under the head ofthe staple with the blade, said litter element being movable away fromthe blade when the handles are pressed together whereby to pry out thestaple while the work is held by the blade.

6. In a plier device for extracting staples or the like from articlesfastened thereby, the combination of a pair of pivoted members havinghandles at one side of the pivot and jaws at the opposite side thereof,a relatively thin tapered blade carried by the jaw of one 01 saidmembers to adapt it to be inserted under the head of a staple andpressed against the work, and a litter member carried by the oppositejaw and provided with fingers adapted to aline with the blade when thehandles are opened to allow them to pass under the head of the staple incontact with the work, said lifter member being movable away from theblade when the handles are drawn together whereby to withdraw the staplewhile its clinched legs are straightened by the sides of the bladebearing against the work.

'7. In a plier device for extracting staples from articles fastenedthereby, the combination of a pair or pivoted members having handles atone end and jaws at their opposite ends a blade carried by one of thejaws and formed with openings passing therethrough, and a litter membercarried by the opposite jaw and provided with fingers arranged to enterthe openings in the blade to aline them with said blade when the handlemembers are opened to adapt the fingers to be inserted under the head ofa staple with the blade and to be withdrawn from said openings byclosing the handles to pry out the staple while the work is held by thepressure of the blade thereagainst.

8. In a device of the type specified, the combination or a pair ofcrossing handle, members pivoted to move relatively of each other, anelement carried by one of said members on the opposite side 01' thepivot from the handle andprojecting across the end of the correspondingportion of the other member, said element having a forwardly-extendingblade at its end, and a lifter element carried by the other member onthe opposite side of the pivot from its handle and adapted for insertionunder the head of a staple with the blade, said lifter element and bladebeing moved toward each other when the handles are moved apart andseparated from each other when said handles are moved toward each other.

means and blade being movable toward each other when the handles areswung apart and said liftermeans being movable away from the blade whenthe handles are moved toward each other.

JOHN F. CAVANAGH.

